Target's New Eco-Apparel Line
To Debut at Barneys New York

Retailer Hopes
Marketing Gambit
Has Mass Appeal

By

Ann Zimmerman

Updated May 1, 2008 12:01 a.m. ET

In an unusual marketing gambit, Target Corp.TGT-0.10% is introducing its first line of eco-friendly apparel -- but putting it on sale first at luxury retailer Barneys New York, giving new meaning to the phrase mass meets class.

The Minneapolis-based retailer commissioned 60 exclusive pieces from Rogan Gregory, a designer at the forefront of the eco-fashion movement. Mr. Gregory uses 100% certified organic cotton and other natural fibers, such as silk and linen, in his collections that are typically sold at Barneys and Bloomingdale's. He recently won the Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund award for promising new designers.

ENLARGE

Target's eco-friendly apparel by designer Rogan Gregory is first appearing at Barneys New York.

Now he's contributing to Target's Go International program, which features a line of moderately priced apparel from cutting-edge designers that appear in stores only about six weeks at a time.

Mr. Gregory's Target collection will debut at Barneys New York May 9-May 11, then from May 16-May 18 it will move to the Barneys location in Los Angeles, after which the clothes will begin appearing at Target stores. Barneys, which is owned by Dubai-based Istithmar World Capital PJSC, keeps the proceeds of the sales in its stores, and will promote the items as the "Rogan for Target" collection.

Target apparel has appeared briefly at other stores in the past. It sold its Proenza Schouler line last summer for a few days at boutiques in Manhattan and Paris. And Selfridges in London carried the Alice Temperley for Target collection for a short while. But Target has no overseas outlets where the clothes could have been featured.

Even if Target loses some sales to Barneys, there's plenty of upside for the discount retailer. "For us, it is about generating buzz about the collection, and it's a great opportunity for the Barneys' guest to preview the collection," said Amy Von Walter, a Target spokeswoman.

The appeal for Barneys is less clear cut. "Doing things that are interesting, new and novel is what Barneys is about," said Julie Gilhart, women's fashion director at Barneys. She green-lighted the project in part because it dovetails with the luxury emporium's own emphasis this year on green fashions.

ENLARGE

She said Barneys also views the agreement as a way to show its appreciation for a Target program that helps sustain young designers. "A lot of up-and-coming designers live hand to mouth, especially when they start out, and this gives them a project that helps fund their own business," Ms. Gilhart said.

The Target pieces, including a roll-up sleeve sweater and a leopard-print swimsuit, cost $15 to $45. That's significantly less than even the least-expensive item sold in Mr. Gregory's upper-end Loomstate line at Barneys, where T-shirts are priced at $68 and a sweater hoodie fetches $235.

Mr. Gregory says his collection for Target is a way to make the organics-apparel movement more democratic by making it more affordable to the masses. Fabrics made from natural fibers and 100% certified organic cotton cost 15% more than nonorganic fabrics, while finished garments generally carry a 5% premium, he says.

It's also part of a wider trend of discounters experimenting in eco-fashion. Wal-Mart Stores Inc.,WMT-0.25% for example, sells T-shirts from organic cotton. But such fashions also have raised concerns about greenwashing, with critics suggesting the products may not be as environmentally sensitive as they're portrayed. For example, fast-growing bamboo is touted as an eco-friendly material for textiles, but the process required to turn the tough plant into fabric takes a significant amount of energy and chemicals.

Mr. Gregory said Target's buying power allows him to sell his collection there for less, while still using more "dynamic fabrics." His designs in the Target collection feature less hardware, sophisticated construction and embellishments than his pricier lines.

"Target has the resources that enabled us to innovate," he says. "A mill would say we couldn't order a certain fabric unless we could promise certain volume. Target leveraged its volume to get what it wanted."

As an example, he points to a striped jersey T-shirt in the line that was made from a cotton yarn with knots and detailing not found in typical cotton yarn.

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.